Of course everyone with a brain knows what's going to happen when the boys in green step onto the pitch at Gelsenkirchen in October.

6-0, 7-0? Or might it even be double figures? Surely the Irish aren't going to trouble the supremely gifted, newly-crowned world champions.

But if he's looking for inspiration prior to that Euro 2016 qualifier, Martin could do worse than recall a certain match 18 years ago.

November 9, and over 40,000 Germans had rallied in Nuremberg (see what I did there?) to greet the recently crowned Euro '96 champions – and of course to watch them tank little Northern Ireland.

The result of that World Cup qualifier? Germany 1, Northern Ireland 1.

Not only that, but Berti Vogts' men – featuring world-class players such as Jurgen Klinsmann, Andy Moller, Stefan Reuter and Thomas Hassler – even had to come from behind after defender Gerry Taggart had scored for the visitors.

Afterwards, team-mate Barry Hunter walked towards myself and a few other media folk who had gathered at the side of the pitch in a fast-emptying stadium and uttered those immortal five words: "What about our wee country?"

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